Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of security agencies arrested the finance secretary and 3rd-in-command of UPDF from Chowkham area of Namsai sub-division in Lohit district early this morning. He has been identified as Hemchandra Barphukan alias R Gohain, aged 42 years, a native of Lekang Gohai Gaon under Mahadevpur PS in Lohit district.

The UPDF leader’s arrest was made couple of days after three of the UG group’s cadres namely, Chow Jaan Pangyuk (22), Chow Sanjiv Munglang (19) and Chow Halingta alias Sam Manlai (29) – all from village Wingsing, Nongtaw had surrendered before the Additional Deputy Commissioner at Namsai on September 6.

The district SP informed that following the reports that UPDF was on an extortion spree creating terror in Lohit and Changlang districts, a joint team of Lohit Police and SIT Itanagar was formed to track down the UG elements.

The nabbed finance secretary, UPDF was the brain behind the extortion activities of the outfit and is wanted in several cases of extortion and Arms Act. Further investigation and interrogation of the accused is in progress, said the SP.